Page 13 of The Souls Harvest
“Tabitha managed to send a message. Numerous red souls are travelling from The Mother heading south, towards Brenath; we may have overestimated the time on our side.” She points me to thelines of empty chairs, but I reject the silent offer to sit down. To stay still. To think before reacting.
I push away from the door. “Cryptic doesn’t work with me. Youmusthave a fucking good reason to throw the Reds in a conversation about July.” I don’t need to play the part of the student here.
Her shoulders slump. “Roden decided to let some Reds free of roaming Horigos… and foundhimagain. Earlier than expected, I know—” she sighs.
“What? That’s not possible. How…No, you know what? That must be a mistake. Maybe the Reds only sensed a Rogue thatvibrateslike him…” I march to the window. where the heavy curtains are wide open, letting the sun in.
Popplewish flinches, but doesn’t move. “Galen, I understand your worries. But we knew this moment would come. And we’ve delayed for too long… Denial won’t change anything.”
I slam a fist on the windowsill, and my hand starts throbbing almost instantly. My head feels heavy. The tension between my shoulder blades makes my arms shake when I grab the cold marble to keep my hands busy instead of tearing the curtains down. Or worse.
“That was the planwhenshe was ready to execute it without risking her life. Orhis.The kernels she’s taken so far could be anywhere!” I can barely hear myself. My breath is so loud and fast that my vision blurs.
“Do you know the last soul she harvested was red?”
I startle.Fucking Silent End. I realise she’s behind me only when her hand lightly touches my back.
I answer with a sharp nod. “We didn’t have time to discuss details…”
“Do you know what that means?”
My shoulders drop. “Roden would never risk her life in such a stupid way.Heneeds her alive. Ifshegoes, his plan dies with her…”
The reflection of Evelyn’s face in the window tells me she’s carefully choosing her words.
But I anticipate her. “What the fuck ishedoing so close to Brenath anyways?” I turn to face her, refusal building up behind her eyes. “And don’t even try to—Ifhe’s hiding in that area, you’re sending July straight into the lion’s cage. Who knows how many red souls are marching towards him right as we speak? Have the others agreed to this suicidal mission? I’m going with her. End of.”
She shakes her head dismissively. “You know this is not allowed. We need you here. Besides, we have great resources in Horigos, who’ll keep an eye on Sof, especially now.”
I’m trapped. Popplewish is so close I can see her eyes darting side to side, studying my face.
“Her name, to you, is July.” I croak.
“I knew this would happen.” She says, setting the mug down and stepping closer. Her attention is on the people coming and going in the garden below her window, but her profile hardly hides her sorrow.
I should be infuriated, but I laugh with a cold tone that doesn’tbelong to me and chills me down to my core. “Oh no…You don’t get to treat me like one of your recruits. Do not play the sentimental card with me to justify your orders and belittle my role.” I point a finger at the empty chairs, at invisible students.
The colours in her eyes swirl as she casts me a sideways glance, breathing out a sigh.
Tucking a strand of hair back into her crown braid, she strikes. Lethal and practical. “I understand your internal conflict. You’re not the first one forced into this role. And maybe it was my fault. I should have noticed the signs years ago.”
I drop my chin, laughing again; the only way to let the bitterness out of my system before I lose control. “You are something else, Evelyn, I admit that. After all these years, I still struggle to appreciate your best skill. That I-don’t-give-a-fuck aura.”
She gasps. When I look up, her eyes are wide and have almost lost all their bright colours.
“I give it to you; I wish I could put on half of the masks you mastered so well in your years fighting forthecause. But if the price to pay is to chew up and spit out everyone around you, I’d rather—” I take a deep breath.
What? Abandon Libera? Abandon—her?
“Galen,” she reaches her hand to mine, but I draw back.
“Drop the motherly façade. You may have the experience on your side, but you left your humanity on the shore of Brenath.” I sound weary, deflated.
A sigh. When I lift my head, she’s already by the door, unlockingit. The air inside the room is no longer pleasantly warm. It clogs my lungs, turning my clothes heavy with unspoken words.I need out. Now.
She cracks the door open as if reading my thoughts and moves back to her desk. Just sitting there with neat piles of papers to review, waiting for her, she looks like a typical, standard teacher. But I know too well the sharp, silent, killing blade she can be.
I stop at her desk, flattening my hand on the shiny surface. “Am I allowed to know where exactly you’re sending her?”
